How To Identify Your Finds (Part 3 of 10)
2) Identifying the Otodus obliquus teeth
[Otodus obliquus (pronounced "o-toad-us o-bleak-us") was a very large, extinct mackeral shark (9 to 10 metres long). It's thought to be an ancestor of the largest of all extinct sharks, Carcharodon megalodon (up to 15m long). Both belong to the order Lamniformes, family Otodontidae] These teeth are much sought after by collectors because of their appearence and rarity. As you can see from figure 1 below, they are very distinctive: Large, robust, and triangular. Unfortunately, most Otodus finds are just fragments, so finding a complete one is all the more special. |
Important details:
- Teeth have a triangular, robust, smooth-edged blade.
- Stout secondary cusplets on either side of main blade.
- The root is strongly bi-lobed.
- Large lingual protuberance at centre of the root.
More pictures of Otodus obliquus can be found here, here and here.
How To Identify Your Finds (Part 4 of 10) - Gluekmanotodus heinzelini
How To Identify Your Finds (Part 4 of 10) - Gluekmanotodus heinzelini